Gang Leader for a Day (36 page)

He also taught me to shut up and listen to my advisers. In contemporary American institutions of higher learning, most people would find this instruction quaint; during a time in which the “student” has become the “customer,” this sort of thinking is considered anathema. But my father was no fan of the American educational system, so he insisted that I spend my time listening. I owe my father more than he will ever know. In life, love, and work, his wisdom would prove exceedingly valuable.

Within a few weeks of my arrival at the University of Chicago, I was lucky enough to meet William Julius Wilson, the eminent scholar of urban poverty. He made an unforgettable impression on me: he was thoughtful, choosing his words carefully, and it was obvious that I’d learn a lot if I simply paid attention. My father’s counsel echoed in my head: Listen to Bill, follow his advice, always work harder than you need to.

Throughout the course of my graduate studies, I ran into many obstacles, and Bill was always there to guide me. I brought him many typical grad-student dilemmas (
How should I prepare for my exams?
) and some that were less typical (
If I find out that the gang plans to carry out a murder, should I tell somebody?
). More than once I tested his patience; more than once he told me to stop going to my field site until things cooled off. I am one in a long line of students who have benefited from Bill Wilson’s tutelage. For his patient direction, I remain grateful.

None of this is meant to discount the role that my mother has played in my life and career. She is the most caring and thoughtful person I have ever known; her voice always rang in my head when I needed to get around a roadblock. Thanks, Mom.

I can recall the initial conversations with my sister, Urmila, when I signed up to write this book. I was nervous, while she was overjoyed. She has always productively channeled her enthusiasm by keeping me honest and mindful of those who are less fortunate and who may never benefit from my writings.

At the University of Chicago and at Columbia, Professors Peter Bearman, Jean Comaroff, John Comaroff, Herbert J. Gans, Edward Laumann, Nicole Marwell, and Moishe Postone guided me through difficult waters. Katchen Locke, Sunil Garg, Larry Kamerman, Ethan Michaeli, Amanda Millner-Fairbanks, David Sussman, Benjamin Mintz, Matthew McGuire, and Baron Pineda were ever supportive, whether with humor, advice, or a glass of wine. Farah Griffin’s writings inspired me to push on, Doug Guthrie encouraged me to pursue the venerable path of public sociology, and Eva Rosen read drafts diligently and is on her way to becoming an outstanding sociologist.

I never would have written this book if I hadn’t met Steven Levitt, an economist who took an interest in my fieldwork. Over dinner one night at the Harvard Society of Fellows, Steven and I spent hours trying to connect the worlds of economics and sociology. To this day Steven remains a close collaborator and friend. I couldn’t have attempted this act of hubris without his encouragement. Steven kindly introduced me to Suzanne Gluck, who helped shepherd me through the byzantine world of trade publishing. Suzanne is one of the wisest souls I have ever met. At Penguin, Ann Godoff has been a pleasure to work with, and I hope this is the first of many journeys under her stewardship.

In writing this book, I drew on the intellectual gifts and emotional sustenance of my close friend Nathaniel Deutsch. I pulled Nathaniel away from his precious daughter, Simona, on many occasionsto rant, cry, or just throw up my hands. Nathaniel, I may never be able to return the favor, but I will certainly make sure Simi knows how kind you have been.

To Stephen Dubner, I owe an inexpressible debt. Stephen had the unenviable task of helping me put my thoughts on paper. It was not always easy for me to visit my past, and Stephen listened to my meanderings patiently, offering the right amount of criticism and feedback. I doubt that Stephen thinks of himself as a teacher, but he is one of the best.

I remain especially grateful to the tenants of the Robert Taylor Homes for letting me into both their apartments and their lives. Dorothy Battie has been a close friend, and Beauty Turner and the staff at the
Residents’ Journal
newspaper have given of their time generously.

I still feel guilty about all those years that I let J.T. think I would write his biography. I hope that he at least reads these pages someday. While a lot of it is my story, it plainly could never have happened without him. He let me into a new world with a level of trust I had no reason to expect; I can only hope that this book faithfully represents his life and his work.

INDEX

affiliates

aldermen

aluminum

American Liberties Union (ACLU)

anthropologists

Apartment

Armour Square

Autry,
see
Harrison, Autry

Bad Buck

Bailey, Ella

Bailey, Ms.

accusations against

back-to-school party thrown by

Boys & Girls Club and

Catrina and

CHA and

Clarisse and

cleanup demanded by

clothing drive of

at Crustie’s

gang donations to

as head of LAC

on hustling

J.T. on

on J.T.’s surveys

at monthly tenant meeting

on poverty

power desired by

pride in S.V.’s attention

Robert Taylor demolition and

sexual partners of

as suspicious of S.V.

S.V.’s information and

S.V.’s underground-economy studies approved by

Bailey, Ms. (
cont.
)

Taneesha incident and

tenants’ visits to

underground-economy cut of

Wilson’s door replaced by

Baldwin, Mr.

Bangladeshis

Barry (gang member)

Battie, Dorothy

Bee-Bee (J.T.’s daughter)

Bee-Bee (Taneesha’s manager)

Billy (gang member)

Billy Jo

Bird

Black Kings

basketball tournaments held by

Candy’s apartment as storage for

CBOs and

community and

crack dealt by

Curly as manager of

Disciples’ rivalry with

at drive-by shooting

drive-by shootings discussed by

drugs dealt by

Elks Lodge party of

extortion by

factions, sets, and organizations of

foot soldiers of

gambling racket of

hierarchy of

history of

investments of

J.T.’s promotion in

leaders of

ledgers of

meetings of

pay in

as police

in politics

prostitution and

regional meetings of

rivalries within

Robert Taylor demolition feared by

rules of

sales crews of

taxes and fees collected by

in voter-registration drives

wars of

in West Pullman

Black Panther Party

Black P. Stone Nation

Blue

Boo-Boo

Boston, Mass.

Boys & Girls Club

grant proposal for

meeting on drive-by shooting at

midnight basketball at

school program at

Brass (squatter)

Bridgeport

Butler, Charlie

cabdrivers

Caldwell, Booty

California

Calumet Heights

Candy

Carla

carpenters

Carrie

car thieves

Cartwright, Ms.

Catrina

Clarisse and

essays of

funeral of

Taneesha incident and

on women

Census, U.S.

Chantelle

Charlie

Cheetah

Cherise

Cherry

Chicago

African-American migration to

black communities in

desegregation in

gang and drug problem in

midnight basketball league of

Ms. Mae’s move to

politics of

school teachers’ strike in

winter in

Chicago, University of

Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Bulls

Chicago Housing Authority (CHA)

black market of

Ms. Bailey and

Ms. Reemes and

Robert Taylor built by

in Robert Taylor demolition and rehousing

scheduled demolition of Lake Park projects by

security of

sex exchanged for rent forgiveness

Chicago State University

Child and Family Services Department

cigarettes

Cisneros, Henry

civil rights movement

Clarisse (prostitute)

cleaners

cleaning ladies

Cleveland, Ohio

Cliff (gang leader)

Clinton, Bill:

and Chicago midnight basketball league

and housing project demolition

Robert Taylor visit of

welfare reform by

C-Note (squatter)

anger at S.V. of

J.T. and

S.V.’s study of

Taneesha incident and

Cobras

cocaine

Coco

Cold Man (Black Kings leader)

Columbia University

Comaroff, Jean

Combs, Leonard (Old Time)

community-based organizations (CBOs)

Congress, U.S.

conservatives

cooks

crack

Black Kings’ deals in

dilution of

economics of

epidemic of

extent of use of

prostitutes’ use of

Creepy

crime

in Lake Park projects

Crustie’s

culture of poverty

Curly

Curtis

Daley, Richard J.

Daniels, Ms.

Dan Ryan Expressway

Darryl

day care

Democratic National Convention ()

Denny, Ms.

desegregation

Des Moines, Iowa

Disciples

domestic violence

Doritha

drive-by shootings

Black Kings’ discussions of

by Disciples

dropouts

drugs

Black Kings’ traffic in

economy of

Dunbar High School

DuSable High School

Duster, Lenny

Easley, Ms.

economics, economy:

of crack

of drugs

J.T. and

underground

economists

education

Elder, Ms.

Elks Lodge

El Rukn gang

Englewood

ethnographers

extortion

FBI

Federal Street

building

food stamps

South Lake Park

Forty-seventh Street

Freakonomics
(Levitt and Dubner)

Freeze

gangs

Black Panther Party vs.

federal agencies vs.

sociologists on

Garcia, Jerry

Gladys’s

Grand Boulevard

Grateful Dead

Great Migration

guns

Officer Reggie on

for women

Harris, Porter

Harrison, Autry

background of

gang conflicts resolved by

and grant proposal

at meeting on drive-by shooting

midnight basketball league meeting of

police and

school program of

S.V.’s car robbery and

on tenant anger at S.V.

Harvard’s Society of Fellows

Henry Horner projects

heroin

prostitutes’ use of

housing projects:

death in

paradox of

housing reform

”How Survive” (essay)

Hyde Park

hypes

Illinois, welfare in

independents

Indians

Iowa

Jackson, Brian

Jackson, Jesse

”jailhouse niggers,”

Jamel (J.T.’s son)

Jerry, Officer

Dorothy Battie arrested by

Jimmy’s

Johnny

Johnson, Officer

Jo-Jo

Josie (gang member)

Joyce (J.T.’s girlfriend)

J.T. (John Henry Torrance)

arrest feared by

at back-to-school party

basketball tournament party hosted by

beatings given by

Billy-Otis dispute and

at Boys & Girls Club

at Carla’s birthday party

children of

Clinton’s visit and

C-Note and

Curly’s meeting with

diluted crack as worry of

and domestic violence

at drive-by shooting

drug-selling lecture of

economics and

education of

fear as leadership style of

as gang historian

girlfriends of

income of

informants for

Johnny and

as lawmaker

luxuries of

management skills of

Michael and

move to Robert Taylor by